The Hindu : Front Page : It’s business as usual in Leopold Cafe

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Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008
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It’s business as usual in Leopold Cafe

Anupama Katakam

MUMBAI: At 2 p.m. on Monday, Leopold Café reopened for business. The police had given the go-ahead and the restaurant wasted no time in opening its doors.

Other than the bullet holes in the walls, there was no sign of the bloody carnage this popular restaurant had been a victim of — on November 26 — when a small band of terrorists opened fire on the restaurant and subsequently paralysed Mumbai for three days after they went on a killing spree in two of the city’s luxury hotels. As accounts of the terror attack are reconstructed, it is believed that Leopold was the first place to be targeted by the terrorists. The death toll at the café was 10.

Leopold Café’s famous beer cylinders were back on the tables. There was little seating available as patrons had filled the tables like before and waiters were bustling about serving customers. Several foreigners were also at the tables. The café is reported to have been a target due to the high concentration of foreign tourists who patronise the restaurant.

“As soon we opened the restaurant, it filled up with customers,” said Farzad S. Jehan, the present owner of this 137 year-old establishment. “Everything seems back to normal. Even the foreigners are back. Our loss is nothing compared to the personal loss people have suffered. We just replaced some chairs and have opened the restaurant as it is,” said Mr. Jehan.

“Leos,” as it is popularly called, is a great favourite among the backpacker travellers who pass through Mumbai. It is known for its inexpensive beer and food. More recently, it shot to fame as Gregory Davids, the author of the book “Shantaram” set many of his scenes in the restaurant.

According to an official statement issued by the Taj Mahal Hotel, the security authorities handed over control of the hotel back to the hotel management in the early hours of December 1. “Certain parts of the hotel property are still inaccessible, either due to the continuing security investigations or for safety reasons,” says the release.

Terrorists had stormed the Taj Mahal Hotel on November 26. For almost three-and-a-half days, this hotel was under siege. Four bodies of terrorists were found in the hotel and about 40 people were found dead.

The management says access to the hotel buildings is only being given to a limited number of specialists’ personnel.

Meanwhile, with immediate effect, the building has been placed under as tight a seal as possible until a full risk assessment has been completed. Sections of the building also require specialist assessment to establish their structural integrity, but these surveys will not be initiated until the risk is complete, says the statement.

The normally well-lit iconic Taj Mahal Hotel wore a desolate look on Monday. A few lights could be seen on in the old wing, where the battle between security forces and the terrorists occurred. The hotel remains cordoned off.

Damage in Trident

“We are still not in a position to give any information on the damage and when we will reopen,” said Ratan Keswani, president of the Trident Hotels to The Hindu. “We are still trying to assess the damage.”

However, guests emerging from the Oberoi after collecting their belongings told the media that they were told by the hotel that Trident should be open for business in two weeks. The Oberoi will take between three and six months to reopen. 32 people were killed in this hotel.

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